Union garment.



G. J. OLTSGH.

UNION GARMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR.16. 191a.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

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G. J. OLTSGH.

UNION GARMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR.16, 191,3.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wliazesseal 96077652 Oflac UNITED STATEfi PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE J. OLTSGI-I, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 CIllNTON B.STEPHENSON,

OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

UN ION GARMENT.

South Bend. inthe county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Union Garments, ofwhichthe following is a specification. v

The invention relates generally to undergarments of the union type, andparticularly to a llapclosnre for the osterior opening in eing providedfor maintaining the flap in'openin'g and closing position, said meansbeing readily and conwniently accessible and having the additionalfunction of adjusting the trunk length of the garment when desirable.

The main object of the present invention is the provision in a uniongarment having a posterior opening, of flaps secured to the edges ofsaid opening, with their free edges in superimposed relation for closingpur poses, the outermost flap having an. extension designed to beremovably fastened to the front of the garment immediately above thecrotch portion thereof, whereby to maintain the flap in closing relationthrough the fastoning of a section accessible from the front.

A further object of the inventionis the securing of the flap-holdingsection to the front portion of the garment, and the provision ofvariously located fastening means for such flap-holding sections,whereby said sections may be utilized as a means for adjusting the trunklength of the garment.

The invention in the preferred form of details will be described in thefollowing specification, reference being had particularly to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure l ls a front view ofa garmentconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear view. ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a broken front view, with the leg portions elevated,and the outline of the flaps shown in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a brokenfront view showing the flap-holding section in position to permitopening of the flaps closing the posterior opening.

In carrying out the present invention, the garment, which is otherwiseof the usual shape and materialis slit centrally from theneck opening 1to a point in the rear of the garment slightly above the waist line, the

overlap,

Specification of Letterslatent. i Patented Sept. 1, 1914:. Applicationfiled April 16, 1913. Serial No. 761,422. I

. opening thus provided, as 2 extending down the legs at 3, for aportion of the length of the latter below the crotch[ The slittedmargins throughout that portion thereof in the p front of the garmentare provided with the usual overl-a 4, secured to one edge as at 5,

and removab fastened to the other edge by buttons or other fasteningmeans 6.- The overlap or closure 4: extends from the neck opening to apoint slightly above the center of the crotch, as clearly shown in Figs.1,

3 and 4. Secured to the edges of the said slit throughout the length ofthe posterior opening," and the slitted portion of the legs,

; are closingflaps 7 and 8, the latter forming the outer flap with itsfree edge overlying the freeedge of the-former or inner flap. -The lowerpasses beneath the crotch portionof the or forward edge of the flap 7garment and is secured by stitching or the like to the lower end of theoverlap 4, it being understood that the flap 7 as well as the flap 8 isof the appropriate formation so that one edge thereof is stitched to oneedge of the slit 2 as at 9, and below said slit :2 is secured toboth'edges' of the leg slit 3, as at 10. This provides the divisionbetween the flaps extending from, the upper edge of the posterioropening as at 11, through the I crotch portion and upwardly to the lowerend of the overlap 4, and as previously stated the edge of the flap 7adjacent to the lower end of the overlap is secured directly thereto,

as at 12. The flap 8 however is provided with an enlarged laterallyextended section 13, hereinafter termed the flap-holding section, whichisgradually increased in width from the bottom of the crotch portion ofthe garment to its extreme upper edge, which normally overlies the lowerend of the overlap 4. That edge of the holding section which forms ineffect a continuation of the edge of the flap 8 which is secured to theposterior opening is directly secured to the overlap 4 by a line ofstitching'M which eX- tends lengthwise said overlap throughoutthatportion of the section engaging the line with the lower edge of thesection to the point of the line of stitching 12 of the flap 7. Theremaining portion of the holding section is free of fixed connectionwith and then laterally of the overlap in the garment, being providedhowever with a button hole 15 to engage a button 16 secured to thegarment. An additional button hole 17 is formed near the upper edge ofthe holding section to cooperate with the buttons 6 of the overlap. Oneor more buttons 18 may be secured to the garment in line with the button16 to provide for adjustment of the holding section, as will laterappear.

From the above description it will be ob vious that with the holdingsection buttoned in position the flaps are maintained in closedrelation, and that in this position a permanently closed crotch portionis provided. Upon releasing the holding sec tion from the button 16 thefree edge of the overlapping flap is given suflicient play to providethe necessary spreading of the flaps to afford the desired opening, thecrotch portion still remaining closed by reason of the connection of theholding section on the 7 line of stitching indicated at 14. By thelongitudinal adjustment of the upper end of the holding section, that isby securing it to the additional buttons. 6 and 18, it is obvious thatthe length of the trunk portion of the garment may be varied, and hencea very desirable adjustment is provided for.

The salient feature of the present invention resides in the provision ofthe outer one of the posterior opening closing flaps with a holdingsection, having a removable fastening or connection with the front ofthe garment where such connection is readily and convenientlyaccessible, the holding section serving, when in fastened relation, tomaintain the flaps closed against spreading, and also providing thehighly important feature of adjusting the length of the trunk portion ofthe garment for the better comfort of the wearer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A union garment formed with a continuous posterior and crotchopening, flaps forming a closure for said opening having inner freeedges overlapping each other, the outer of said flaps graduallyincreasing in width from the crotch portion upwardly in front to theupper edge thereof to form a relatively greater overlapping section forthe front portion thereof, and means for detachably securing the freeend of said flap at the front to the garment to one side of the verticalcentral line thereof whereby to provide a lateral'draw on the flap toprevent a parting of the fla s.

2 A union garment ormedwith a continuous posterior and crotch opening,flaps forming a closure for said opening having inner free edgesoverlapping each other, the outer of said flaps gradually increasing inwidth from the. crotch portion to the front upper edge thereof to form arelatively greater overlapping section for the front portion thereof,and means for adjustably 5 securing the free end of said flap to thegarment to one side of the vertical central line thereof to prevent thegapping of the flaps and to vary the trunk length of the garment.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE J. OLTSCH. Witnesses C. B. STEPHENSON, LELA COOK.

